2018 Van Lier New Voices Fellowship

Application Guidelines

VISION

The Van Lier New Voices Fellowship program is a critical component in The Lark’s acclaimed portfolio of fellowships. The portfolio is designed to engage a diverse community of extraordinary playwrights—at various places in their careers—who represent, collectively, a contemporary national vision. The Lark believes that targeted support to early-career playwrights from underrepresented backgrounds is essential to a culture of equity, access and inclusion, and a national theater that represents the vibrancy of our collective cultural voices. Van Lier New Voices Fellows will be in residence at The Lark as part of a community of artists at various career levels from across the country and around the world, gathered to explore and illuminate the most important issues of our time.

DESCRIPTION

The Lark is accepting applications for the third round of its Van Lier New Voices Fellowship program, supported by The New York Community Trust’s Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund.

The Van Lier New Voices Fellowship supports playwrights of color under 30 who demonstrate financial need. During a year-long residency, Fellows will work on multiple artistic projects through an individually-tailored program of Lark play development programs, and form relationships with other theatermakers at various career stages from all parts of the world. The Fellowship includes a cash award of $15,000, plus up to $3,000 in health insurance premium reimbursement, along with access to a wide range of Lark resources, including artistic program participation, office and rehearsal space, and staff support.

In the 2018 cycle, the Lark will award two Fellowships.

Applications will be accepted from August 15 to October 31, 2017. Selected fellows will be notified in early December 2017.

The 2018 Fellowship period begins January 1, 2018 and ends December 31, 2018.

ACTIVITIES

Fellows will:

Work with Lark staff to identify individual artistic goals for the fellowship year, toward generating and developing new plays through a series of Lark programs appropriate to those goals;

Meet, collaborate, engage and work with a community of other professionals in the field, including playwrights, directors, actors, agents, producers and other industry leaders as appropriate;

Participate in and/or observe a variety of Lark’s play development processes, whether on or offsite, including retreats, workshops, readings, etc.;

Receive support for the advancement and advocacy of work generated during the Fellowship year, along with continued access to Lark development programs beyond the fellowship period.

FINANCIAL AWARD

Fellows will receive:

$15,000 fellowship stipend

$3,000 health insurance stipend

Please note that the fellows will receive a Form 1099 for the 2018 calendar year and be responsible for their own taxes. Both stipends are taxable.

ELIGIBILITY

Fellowship applicants must:

Be legal residents of New York City;

Identify as playwrights of color under the age of 30 at the time of application;

Not be enrolled in a college, conservatory or advanced training program during the fellowship period;

Not be a previous recipient of a Van Lier fellowship at The Lark or any other organization;

Demonstrate financial need; and

Make a case for how the Fellowship and participation in The Lark’s community would promote transformative artistic and professional growth.

APPLICATION:

A current artistic resume, along with one personal or professional reference (listing the referee’s title or institutional affiliation, along with their phone number and email address). Referrer may be an artistic collaborator, professor, or educator familiar with you and your work;

A one-page Artistic Statement that describes (1) where you feel you are in your creative and professional life; (2) career goals; (3) a proposed strategy for using the Fellowship’s resources towards those goals;

A one-page Description of Financial Need, describing current income, expenses, and any outstanding financial commitments (such as student loans or other debt), including a statement on how the fellowship stipend might be used and why it would be transformative.

A ten (10) page sample of recent work that best represents you as a playwright (Sample may be an excerpt or self-contained 10-minute play). Finalists will be asked to submit a recent full-length play as additional support material.

Finalists will be notified in November. Selected fellows will be announced in December.